Sean Michaels (actor)


Sean Michaels is an American pornographic actor, model, director and former trade union leader. In 2002, AVN ranked him 14th on their list of The Top 50 Porn Stars of All Time. Michaels has won several prominent adult industry awards, including the NightMoves Award for Best Actor. He has also been inducted into the AVN, NightMoves, Urban X, and XRCO Halls of Fame.
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Early life

Michaels was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Boys and Girls High School, the oldest public high school in Brooklyn. After moving to the West Coast, he worked as a nurse for an urgent care facility in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. He also did runway and print modeling prior to entering the porn industry.

Career

Michaels started out working in the adult entertainment industry as a model for skin magazines. Dissatisfied with the portrayal of black men in pornography, which he saw as "very demeaning and stereotypical", Michaels began performing in adult films in 1989. Michaels chose his stage name by combining the first names of two male celebrities he admired: Sean Connery, whom he described as a "man's man, on and off camera", and Michael Jordan.
Michaels gained recognition in the industry after appearing in his mentor John Leslie's 1990 film Oh What A Night. Micheals received the XBIZ Award for Woodsman of the Year in 1994. The following year, he was inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame. In 1996, he started his own film studio, Sean Michaels Productions, which was later changed to Sean Michaels International the following year when Anabolic Video began handling its distribution.
Along with Lisa Ann and Nikki Benz, Michaels hosted the XRCO Awards in April 2010. In 2018, he performed in his first bisexual scene for Kick Ass Pictures. In regards to the scene, Michaels commented, "I feel strongly about doing the things you want to do in life. Cuckold fans have been asking me for years to do bi scenes, and I'm happy to be making this move. I believe it's important for people to grow sexually in any way they choose."

Legal dispute

In 2003, World Wrestling Entertainment issued Michaels a cease and desist letter, asking him to stop using his name due to the similarity it had to wrestler Shawn Michaels. Sean Michaels' name was already registered as a trademark, while Shawn Michaels had not registered his moniker. Michaels later announced he planned to countersue the WWE. As of April 1, 2011, the trademark of "Sean Michaels" is no longer active.

Advocacy and impact

In 2016, Michaels was elected President of the Adult Performance Artists Guild, then the Adult Performers Actors Guild. As President, he announced the APAG would push to raise the legal age to perform in adult films from 18 to 21, commenting that "it's 21 years old to drink, so you should have to be 21 to do porn." Amidst criticism from APAG members who saw him as reducing his union participation, Michaels officially resigned from his role. He was replaced in the role by actress Alana Evans, who had served as vice president under him. Evans revealed that Michaels was being "blackballed" in the pornographic industry due to his guild participation.
In the May 1997 issue of Vibe, he was labeled "the preeminent force in interracial erotic entertainment." In her book A Taste for Brown Sugar: Black Women in Pornography, women's studies scholar Mireille Miller-Young notes how Michaels' portrayal of "suave and professional" characters in his films has challenged the stereotyping of black men as "sexual beasts" in pornography and expanded opportunities for black performers. Violet Blue shares a similar sentiment in The Ultimate Guide to Adult Videos, calling Michaels a "major force in changing the face and attitudes of the adult industry towards black performers." Blue concluded by dubbing him "the most famous black man to ever appear in porn."

Awards and nominations

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
[8th AVN (magazine)|AVN Awards|1991]Nasty GirlsBest Video Group Sex SceneNomitated
1994Anus and AndyBest Sex Scene, Video Nomitated
1994Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
1995In the BushBest Actor—VideoNomitated
1995Sean MichaelsHall of FameWon
1995Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
1996VisionsBest Couples Sex Scene—VideoNomitated
1996World Sex Tour, Vol. 1Best Group Sex Scene—VideoWon
1996The PassionMost Outrageous Sex SceneNomitated
1997Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
1998Butt Banged Naughty NursesBest Anal Sex Scene—VideoWon
1998Dinner Party 2Best Couples Sex Scene—FilmNomitated
1998Face JamBest Supporting Actor—VideoNomitated
1998Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
1999Sean Michaels' Up Your Ass 7Best Anal Sex Scene—VideoNomitated
1999Tushy HeavenBest Anal Sex Scene—VideoWon
1999Fresh Meat 5Best Group Sex Scene—VideoNomitated
1999Tushy HeavenBest Group Sex Scene—VideoWon
1999Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
2000We Go DeepBest Couples Sex Scene—VideoNomitated
2000Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
2006Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
2007FuckBest Anal Sex Scene – FilmNomitated
2007Elastic Assholes 4Best Anal Sex Scene – VideoNomitated
2007FuckBest Group Sex Scene – FilmNomitated
2007Janine's Been BlackmaledBest Group Sex Scene – FilmNomitated
2007Racial TensionBest Sex Scene Coupling – VideoNomitated
2008Orgy World: The Next Level 11Best Group Sex Scene – VideoNomitated
2009Succubus of the RougeBest Supporting ActorNomitated
2010Semen Sippers 7Best Threeway Sex SceneNomitated
2010Bobbi Starr & Dana DeArmond's Insatiable VoyageBest Double Penetration Sex SceneWon
2010LA Pink: A XXX Porn ParodyBest ActorNomitated
2010LA Pink: A XXX Porn ParodyBest Double Penetration Sex SceneNomitated
2010Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
2011Interracial Fuck SlutsBest Three-Way Sex Scene Nomitated
2012Orgy: The XXX ChampionshipBest Group Sex SceneNomitated
2013School of Black CockBest Double Penetration Sex SceneNomitated
2013Elastic Assholes 10Best Three-Way Sex Scene Nomitated
2014Double Black PenetrationBest Double Penetration Sex SceneNomitated
2016True LustBest Three-Way Sex Scene - Nomitated
2016Adriana's a SlutBest Group Sex SceneNomitated
2017This Ain't American Horror Story XXXBest Supporting ActorNomitated
2017The Booty Queen 2Best Double Penetration Sex SceneNomitated
2018Anal Warriors 3Best Anal Sex SceneNomitated
2020Hot for Transexuals 9Best Transgender Group Sex SceneNomitated

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
1996Sean MichaelsMale Fan FavoriteWon
1997Sean MichaelsMale Fan FavoriteWon
1998Sean MichaelsMale Fan FavoriteWon

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
2002Sean MichaelsBest Actor Won
2003Sean MichaelsBest Director Won
2007Sean MichaelsNightMoves Hall of FameWon

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
2020Sean MichaelsBest Non-TS Male PerformerWon
2021Sean MichaelsBest Non-TS Male PerformerNomitated

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
2008Sean MichaelsBest Male PerformerNomitated
2008Sean MichaelsUrban X Hall of FameWon
2011Cougar on the ProwlBest 3 Way Sex SceneNomitated
2012Anal Buffet 7Best 3-Way Sex SceneNomitated
2012Anal Buffet 7Best Anal Sex SceneNomitated
2012Black DiamondsBest Couples Sex SceneNomitated
2012Daddy Knows BestBest Couples Sex SceneNomitated

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
2010L.A. PinkActing Performance of the Year — MaleNomitated
2010Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
2014Diesel Dongs 28Best Scene — Non-Feature ReleaseNomitated
2017This Ain't American Horror Story XXXBest Supporting ActorNomitated
2018Anal Warriors 3Best Sex Scene — Gonzo ReleaseNomitated
2018Sun-LitBest Sex Scene — Vignette ReleaseNomitated
2019CarnalBest Sex Scene — All-Sex ReleaseNomitated
2021The TransAngels Motorcycle ClubBest Sex Scene — TransNomitated

YearNominated work and artistCategoryResult
1994Arabian NightsBest Anal Sex SceneWon
1994Slave to LoveGroup Sex SceneWon
1994Sean MichaelsWoodsman of the YearWon
1999Tushy HeavenBest Anal or D.P. SceneWon
2000Sean MichaelsMale Performer of the YearNomitated
2000Sean MichaelsXRCO Hall of FameWon